Favorite/Least Favorite Food "Celebrities"

beegew · August 22, 2003

Oh Ronnie...Brilliant!!!

Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Now, if PBS would just pick him up again...I gladly sit through Floyd on Fish or WHATEVER they put on. His BBC harangues are just a shriek, especially after a slurp, or two...or three.. :biggrin:

beegew · August 22, 2003

The Emeril you see in interviews is a vastly different person than the fellow behind the cooktop on T.V. I believe a Q & A with him would be interesting and entertaining.

erraticninja · August 22, 2003

zephyrus: i had figured out bourdain was cool by poking around here.(and reading his books.) i especially enjoyed his take on the rocco-circus on nbc. the first episode of that i watched i began wondering what ab would think about it and then i ran into it on this board. other than that it sounds like you guys had a time.

oh another to add to my dislikes list (i know i am probably way above 5 each by now)

tyler florence.

GordonCooks · August 22, 2003

I don't have any particular disdain for any food personality.

Some have forgotten their roots (Emeril, Bobby Flay, etc.),

Some are very entertaining (Bourdain, Jeremiah Tower, etc.)

Some are very informative (Pepin, Batali, Bayless, etc.)

Some are preeminent (Keller, Adria, Trotter, etc)

Some are hot (Nigella, Padma, Suzanne Goin, Etc)

but a few I could live without

The Barefoot Contessa

The Surreal Gourmet

mcdowell · August 22, 2003

I don't know about Bourdain. He writes sentences like : "I found myself sitting in the jungle with Charlie". I read that, I think, in the first paragraph of his book two years ago and immediately closed it, laughing at the pomposity of it all. Ultimately I did read it on a plane somwhere and overall enjoyed the adventure, if not the writing. I've never seen a recipe from Bourdain, or eaten at one of his restaurants.

With him, I think its cult of personality, and I'm there. I really enjoy watching him on FoodTV and, even if I don't really enjoy his skill with the written word in his books, I enjoy what he posts here. He's adventurous and funny and cute and unself-conscious and all of those things that you want to see, and it's because of him that his show works (can you imagine Al Roker taking his 'on the road' show to Siberia to take a steam and a dip in a frozen lake? It wouldn't work).

I'm glad for Tony and that he's around, but I'm having a hard time saying why, and I'm not certain that I'd miss him if he weren't.

I do miss Justin Wilson, the first cooking show that I ever watched, probably 15 years ago. I don't know if he could cook, but he was funny as hell. Is he still around?

As for Emeril, I find him as annoying as everyone else on TV, but I also think it'd be a treat to have him do a Q&A here. It'd certainly be popular.

=Mark · August 22, 2003

I find it amusing that so many who put Julia Child in their hero column (quite rightly) put Emeril in their villain column, yet she's on record as giving him very high praise. Aren't they kind of best buds?

Just because Julia has a friend doesn't mean anyone else has to like him. I think most folks feel he has gone somewhat over the top with his schtik, to which I can suggest folks check out the "Cooking at the CIA" PBS cooking series. An hour of that dry as dust show will have you crying for Emeril... :hmmm:

ronnie_suburban · August 22, 2003

I do miss Justin Wilson, the first cooking show that I ever watched, probably 15 years ago. I don't know if he could cook, but he was funny as hell. Is he still around?

Sadly, he passed away about 2 years ago (Sep. '01) at the age of 87.

=R=

fifi · August 22, 2003

I do miss Justin Wilson. He first emerged in the late 60s with comedy albums. Those were really big then. My dad, who worked in south Louisiana a lot, was in love with Cajun humor. He had every album Justin made. The high point was when he gave a show at my high school auditorium.

In the late 80s, I was a presenter and panel member at an industry symposium in Baton Rouge. Justin Wilson was the after dinner speaker. For dinner, I had the privilege of being seated next to him on the dais. What a wonderfully warm and entertaining gentleman he was. He loved talking about the food of his region and the origins of recipes. What a delight.

Through all of this, his "real job" was as a safety engineer for Exxon. He was as passionate about safety as he was about food.

mcdowell · August 22, 2003

I do miss Justin Wilson...
Through all of this, his "real job" was as a safety engineer for Exxon. He was as passionate about safety as he was about food.

I worked at Exxon in Houston in the 80's, oil tanker stuff. I had no idea Justin Wilson was with the company (with me and 30,000 others), or I'd have looked him up on a trip to Baton Rouge.

I also had no idea he did comedy albums, something now to go seek out.

Thanks for posting, fifi, and filling in the gaps.

GordonCooks · August 22, 2003

I do miss Justin Wilson, the first cooking show that I ever watched, probably 15 years ago. I don't know if he could cook, but he was funny as hell. Is he still around?
Sadly, he passed away about 2 years ago (Sep. '01) at the age of 87.
=R=

This is a little off topic, I had no idea Jamie Shannon passed away after a bout with cancer at the tender age of 40.

I was a little shocked.

erraticninja · August 22, 2003

wow i think that justin wilson was the first cooking show i ever watched. man found memories of that.

fifi · August 22, 2003

I hope this isn't off topic but...

Looky at what I found...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-h...5179577-9240753

timothycdavis · August 22, 2003

That guy on QVC? In The Kitchen With Bob?

That guy's not much of a cook.

"but, we have this wonderful knife set today, and..."

like: pepin, batali, the two fat older british ladies. (Dammit! What were their names!

ixnay: Cooking at the CIA (this stuff should be like the governmental CIA, and stay secret).

ronnie_suburban · August 22, 2003

This is a little off topic, I had no idea Jamie Shannon passed away after a bout with cancer at the tender age of 40.
I was a little shocked.

Me too...that's really horrible. This is the first I've heard of it.

=R=

ronnie_suburban · August 22, 2003

wow i think that justin wilson was the first cooking show i ever watched. man found memories of that.

:smile: How y'all are? :smile:

=R=

kel · August 22, 2003

Hey all,

I'm new here, but this seems like the perfect topic to jump in on.

My faves:

Julia ('cause, y'know...)

Tyler Florence

Nigella

Alton (I didn't know he was a jerk, but I do like his show...it's a bit disappointing to hear that he's not such a nice guy :hmmm: )

Despise:

Emeril

Bobby Flay (what a creep!)

Sarah Moulton (my god! Is that woman even alive? She's so dull!)

Barefoot Contessa

Paula Deen (someone *please* shut her up!)

Somewhere in between:

Rachel Ray (she reminds me of my husband's cousin, so it's funny to watch her sometimes)

Jamie Oliver (mostly for laughs, his food always looks awful)

Mario (I want to like him, I just can't seem to get excited about his cooking)

I don't really know anything about Anthony Bourdain. I'll have to check him out.

mcdowell · August 22, 2003

... the two fat older british ladies. (Dammit! What were their names!

Clarissa Wright and Jennifer Paterson, I seem to recall.

I'd forgotten all about them, but loved their humor and their passion (if not their food), cruising around Britian in the little side-car. Great stuff.

abbeynormal · August 22, 2003

Like:

I could watch Julia forever (and have been for that matter).

Jacques Pepin

Alton Brown (though he comes across as kind of a jerk in the interview on his fansite, too)

Anthony Bourdain

Two Fat Ladies

I too miss Justin Wilson.

Dislike:

I don't watch the one's I don't like. However, Jacques Pepin's daughter Claudine stands out as someone I can't stand and can't avoid (since she appears on her father's show). She sucks so bad Jacques won't even let her do anything on the show. And she speaks French like she has something up her nose.

A word about the the Barefoot Contessa (who appeared on someone's dis list), anyone who could get $20 for a pound of potato salad in the mid-eighties is all right with me.

tommy · August 22, 2003

i don't think i've ever seen a more dorky personality than Rachel Ray. first of all, anyone who giggles at their own inane "jokes" should be tarred and feathered.

the thing is, she's a cute girl, but the personality makes my stomach turn and makes her way less attractive than she should be.

Edited August 22, 2003 by tommy (log)

timothycdavis · August 22, 2003

.. the two fat older british ladies. (Dammit! What were their names!
Clarissa Wright and Jennifer Paterson, I seem to recall.
I'd forgotten all about them, but loved their humor and their passion (if not their food), cruising around Britian in the little side-car. Great stuff.

Yes! Thanks. I've been racking my brain for an hour now. The food you could take or leave, but the (ornery) joy in which they did it was fun to watch. Plus, it was nice to see them talk smack about folks that didn't like butter and cream and red meat. :smile:

To boot, they threw in one or two cheeky sexual euphemisms a show, which were inevitably snicker-worthy.

Edited August 22, 2003 by Jason Perlow (log)

maggiethecat · August 22, 2003

And she speaks French like she has something up her nose.

In fact, she sounds like a native French speaker.

bloviatrix · August 22, 2003

For all you New Yorkers out there - have you seen Floyd the Food Guy who does the food segments on NY1? He annoys the hell out of me. Who is this joker?

FoodMan · August 22, 2003

Likes:

Alton Brown (the only bad thing I heard about him was from Bourdain, I seriously doubt he is a jerk--love his show)

Jacque Pepin

Julia

Bourdain

Jamie Oliver (yes I do like him thnaks to him I started making my own pasta and bread. his recipes always work and what he is doing at "15" is great)

Nigella Lawson (she is hot and her food is good)

Emeril (I kinda like him just because he was one of my first liked food personalities years ago, and I am aware of all his show's flaws-- A Q&A would be VERY interesting :smile: )

Keller

Dislikes:

Rachel Ray

Paula Dean (ARGHHHHHHHHHH)

These two moronic ladies on "Lighten Up" (although I'm not sure they qualify as food personalities :wacko: )

Kerr

Ainsley Harriot (I cannot believe no one mentioned this buffoon)

FM

Raynickben · August 22, 2003

Speaking of Buffoons...

Mr. Food

Who is this guy? Where did he come from? Why has CBS given him a job for so long?

ronnie_suburban · August 22, 2003

In fact, she sounds like a native French speaker.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

=R=

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